This delicious chocolate flavored recipe can be either a snack or a dessert. Italians love their ricotta so why not mix it with some delicious cacao powder? And nope, that’s not a typo – I’m using cacao, not cocoa for this recipe. Cacao (pronounced ka-cow) is healthy and is often referred to as a “superfood”.
So for anyone who is trying to find desserts that have some form of “healthy” in it, this will fit the bill!
Cacao comes from a South American evergreen tree that produces cacao beans in these pod looking things. These beans are then fermented and used in a variety of ways. You’ll see cacao as an ingredient in a number of chocolate recipes. I recently saw chocolate chips that were 70% cacao.
For this recipe, we will use raw cacao in powder form. We order our cacao from places like Amazon and VitaCost. I use in my homemade hot chocolate, but that’s another post.
This recipe is very similar to my ricotta with apricot jam recipe except we simply swap out the jam with cacao powder. All you have to do is scoop the ricotta into a bowl then top it with your cacao, give it a stir (or not) and serve.
It really is that simple!
Health benefits of cacao
Cacao is often considered a superfood. It also contain natural caffeine and can really help give you a boost of energy when needed. It contains iron, potassium, fiber, and protein. It is also high in antioxidants, and according to WebMD it helps contribute to the following:
- lower blood pressure
- reduced risk of diabetes
- reduced inflammation due to the flavonoids it contains
Is cacao different than cocoa?
They both come from the same bean but what makes each different is how it’s processed. As a result of this difference, the cacao is left holding more nutrition, especially in it’s raw form.
However, cacao has a more bitter taste than the cocoa we’re used to. Which for this recipe in particular gives it a nice balance with the ricotta.
Can you use cocoa with the ricotta?
The answer is yes, absolutely! Just add in however much you want and mix it in with the ricotta and it will still taste very good.
Other Dessert Recipes You May Enjoy
If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy these chocolatey desserts too!
Enjoy this recipe for chocolate toto cookies, also known as spice cookies.
Want a nice spring dessert? Try this recipe for Italian lemon cake, it’s delicious!
Have you ever wanted to make biscotti for dessert? Here’s my Italian almond biscotti recipe. Just dip in some chocolate dipping sauce for that chocolate flavor we all love!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ricotta (whole milk)
- 2 TBLE cacao powder
Instructions
- Place ricotta in a serving size bowl
- Top with the cacao and mix with the ricotta
Notes
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